The Other Side of Sadness
by Kode Dekka
Summary: A terrible tragedy rocks Nanoha's world, shattering it completely. Now she's left to pick up the pieces. She's broken, possibly forever. Only with the help of her friends, will she be able to fill the hole that was left in her. Rated T. NanoFate, sort of.
1. Prelude: The First Act

_A/N: I come again with a new story. Hope you enjoyed that small, light goodness I showed you, because its all about to disappear now. If you cried during any of my other stories, then this one will really get the waterworks rolling, so prepare yourself. First things first, the title. Its a little weird, but I shall tell you how it came to be. If you translate the title of the song "Kanashimi no mokou e" by Kanako Itou, it translates to "The Other Side of Sadness" or something of that sort. I just like this song, and I thought it a fitting one for this story. The subtitle "A Song of Life", comes from the song, "Fallen Angel" by Aimee B. As you can see this story has a lot of musical influence. To be honest, the entire idea for this story, and the inspiration that keeps it going, is from the chorus of the song "Tsunagu Kizuna" by Team Nekokan. This song serves as a sort of sub-ED to the anime "Yosuga no Sora". If you watch it, you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyway enough about that, let the bawwwwfest begin. _

_- Kode-Dekka_

* * *

The Other Side of Sadness -A Song of Life-

By Kode-Dekka

Chapter 1: Prelude ~The First Act of A Dark Performance~

_***Buzzzzz* *Buzzzzz* **_

I heard a faint noise, it sounded like the buzz of a bee, only louder, and more annoying. I ignored it for the most part. I wanted to keep my eyes closed like they were right now, and return to the blissful world of dreams, like I was just moments before.

**Hitomi no oku no himitsu suikomare souna egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**  
** yawarakana ai boku ga todoke ni yuku yo_...~_**

I should have expected it, that damn song to start playing. It was my alarm, I was the one who set it, but now I only had regret in my heart. I grabbed my phone, the source of the unpleasant noise, and quickly put an end to any further annoyances.

I didn't want to get up yet, I never did. Still, I had school to prepare for, so I didn't have a choice in the matter. Against the wishes of my body, lifted myself out of bed, lazily wiping away at my eye, then yawning for good measure. Next I sat in front of my bedroom mirror and examined my face, it was horrendous. I looked like the walking dead, I was totally zombied out. That was to be expected, I had stayed up all night to study for a stupid test, for stupid English. I hated English, so very much.

"Nanoha, are you up yet!" My mother yelled from downstairs, a little too loudly for my tastes.

"Yes, I'm up!" I yelled right back. _"Though I wish I wasn't..." _ I mumbled under my breath. I sighed, rifling through my dresser for my school uniform. I found it buried under a pile of underwear and socks. I had no idea how it got there, but I didn't care, I was going to be late if I didn't get it together.

As usual, I tied my hair back into a single ponytail. I adopted this new style when I got to high school. It was a step up from the twin tails, and not quite as childish. I paid a visit to the bathroom, brushed and flossed my teeth, and washed my face. I would have showered if I could, but there was no time. After that I put on my uniform, I was finally ready for a brand new and exciting day of grueling school work. At the very least, I had my friends, that always made me smile in these circumstances.

"What took you so long?" Dad asked me as soon as I got downstairs. I just kept silent and took a seat next to him. The table felt empty, its been that way since my brother and sister started their new jobs. It was lonely, but I was a big girl, so I could handle it. I still had my parents. Speaking of which, mom set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me, dad was still reading his paper.

"Nanoha you should hurry and eat, Fate-chan will be here any minute for you."

"I know, I know." I didn't need to be reminded that my best friend would be coming here soon, she did it every day, there was no way I could forget. I shoveled the eggs into my mouth, I didn't want to make her wait after all.

"Nanoha, please eat properly, you're going to choke." I really didn't need to be told this. I was 16 years old, I think I knew how to feed myself. However, I held my tongue, I had learned early not to disrespect my parents, no matter how irritating they were sometimes. Mom gave me her usual worried sigh and put a hand on her cheek. "Is everything alright Honey? You seem kind of stressed."

"Yes mom, I just have a test later."

"Okay, try don't push yourself too hard." I was sighing now. I've been getting this lecture almost daily, ever since I passed out during a test. I swear, you forget to sleep one night, and suddenly you need to be looked after all the time like a baby.

The doorbell rang, I already knew who it was. I realized that mom's advice had distracted me greatly, I didn't even finish half my breakfast.

"I'll go let Fate-chan in, so finish your breakfast." I shook my head and rose from my seat.

"Its fine, I wasn't that hungry anyway. I'll see you later." I gave her no time to respond and grabbed my backpack, which was waiting for me beside my chair. Then I dash off toward the door.

"Good morning, Nanoha." Fate said as soon as I opened the door. She smiled brightly at me, it was like looking at the sun.

"Good morning, Fate-chan. Come on, lets go." I dragged her off by the hand. My mom waved at us and Fate gave her a little wave back, then I really yanked her away.

"You seem happy this morning." She wasn't even trying to hide her sarcasm.

"Quiet you. Mom's just getting on my nerves today, all she does is lecture me."

"Well, you do tend to make people worry about you." I knew right away that she was talking about that stupid test, she was never going to let me live it down.

"That was one time, it wont happen again. We all can't be geniuses who don't need to study, oh great Fate-sama." She looked a little hurt, I gave myself a mental punch. "Sorry, I'm just a little tense today. I know you work hard, just like the rest of us." To complete the apology, I gently held her hand and gave it a little squeeze. She squeezed back, and I knew it was alright.

"Shall we hurry? Hayate is probably getting impatient."

"Yeah, though it wouldn't hurt her to go by herself once in a while." Fate giggled, saying that she was like a cat, and needed to have constant attention. I wasn't listening to her, not really. My mind trailed off, thinking about how great it would be to walk alone with Fate once in a while, without the interruption of a certain girl.

_You're a moron, Nanoha. _I found myself thinking this during my little fantasy. I wanted to disagree, but couldn't, I was indeed a moron.

_I can't tell her, at least not yet. _While holding onto Fate's hand, and listening to her talk, I was reaffirmed of a fact, one which I recently came to learn. I was in love with her, she was my precious Fate Testarossa. I couldn't tell her that though, because I wasn't sure if she felt the same way. In the first place, I had no idea how she would even react to such a confession. It would probably get weird, awkward even. I couldn't be sure how this would affect our current relationship, so I decided not to risk it just yet. I'm sure I would tell her one day, when I wasn't so cowardly about my feelings.

I responded to something she said with a smile and a nod, though I was barely paying attention now. I was being consumed by silly notions of expressing my feelings to her, I would have to quickly put an end to that. Luckily for me, I didn't have to, a certain chocolate haired girl did it for me.

"Fate-chan, Nanoha-chan!" Hayate Yagami waved her hands at us wildly, running down the road toward us. She had the stupidest grin on her face, but that was okay, it kept my mind off a certain blond. Fate looked at me and smiled, I knew what this meant: it was time to start running. The two of us bolted at top speed to meet her. I found myself laughing. Even if school was boring, I at least didn't have to worry about my friends. There was never a dull moment around with them.

* * *

"So, did you hear?" It was lunch, and Hayate was entertaining us with her usual noisiness. I had a book laid out in front of me. There was no time to listen to her, I had a test in just twenty minutes."Nanoha-chan, you listen too, this is important." Fate tried to impose, bless her heart, but Hayate was having none of it. I sighed, closing the book for now.

"What is it? What is so important, that you would want to doom my future?" She ignored my anger, giggling at me, like an idiot schoolgirl.

"You wont believe it. Apparently, Vita-chan found your two friends Arisa and Suzuka, kissing, in the library." I was holding a pencil before this moment, but I dropped it, and my jaw as well. "Hehe~, you're listening now, aren't ya?"

"You're right, I don't believe it. If they were doing that kind of thing, they would have told me, they wouldn't hide something as important as that." Fate was still recovering from her stunned state, but she managed to open her mouth.

"Nanoha's right. If they had such a relationship, they wouldn't hide it form one of their best friends."

"Not unless they thought you wouldn't approve."

I didn't want to admit it, but that did sound plausible. Arisa and Suzuka were close, really close. I should have seen it if they were involved. And maybe, just maybe, they thought I wouldn't approve of that kind of relationship. The tolerance for gays at this school wasn't exactly high, so they would have definitely been picked on if they came out with something like that. Still, I'm different...

"I would have understood." I found myself saying out loud, it was an accident, I meant to keep that all in my head. Both of them nodded and put a hand on my shoulder.

"We know that, we feel the same. They're our friends, there's no way we wouldn't accept them." That was good, I felt. I at least knew now that if I ever spilled out my feelings for Fate, she at least wouldn't be disgusted. That doesn't mean it wouldn't get weird, but she probably wouldn't hate me, that's a good thing.

"So then, its decided." Hayate clapped her hands. Neither Fate nor I had any idea what she was talking about.

"What is decided?" She grinned at my question, I didn't like it.

"We're going to find out the truth of course. Come on, we can go ask them before the bell rings." That would have been nice, expect for one thing.

"Hayate-chan, in case you forgot, I have a test in about fifteen minutes."

"It'll be fine, don't worry." She waved me off_,_ which made me think:_ You aren't the one who spent the whole night studying._ "Come on, lets hurry. Go go go!" She cheered and grabbed both our arms, I barely had time to grab my things before I was being dragged out of the cafeteria. _Why me? _It was times like this that I wish I had quieter friends. But there was nothing I could do, I was stuck with these guys. I was fine with that, because I couldn't ask for better friends.

* * *

Two things happened today before the final bell. One: Hayate's information was correct, Arisa and Suzuka were in fact dating. They wanted to be quiet about it, because they were worried, just like Hayate said. Of course we gave them nothing to worry about, and congratulated them right away, me more than anyone. I was a little jealous though, they were able to do what I was always so scared to. I didn't hold it against them, I was just a coward.

The second thing to happen: I actually managed to do well on my English test, or at least I thought so. When I got the test, everything I learned started to come back to me, and I was able to do my best. My studying paid off, I felt proud of myself. All I had to do now was wait for the results tomorrow, then I could really breathe easy.

With my problems gone, I felt it necessary to jump for joy when school ended. Seeing my excited dance made my classmates giggle, I didn't mind it, I was just glad to have this day finally over. Fate and Hayate shared my enthusiasm. The three of us linked hands as we marched through the halls, ignoring the stares from the girls, and the jeers from some of the guys, who got excited over something as small three girls holding hands. We ignored it all, and paraded down the hall, out of the door, and through the school gates.

We parted from Hayate, who left in the direction of her home. She waved at us and ran off. This left me and Fate alone finally, though its not like anything would actually come out of it. I just kept holding her hand, I was happy to do this much. Even if nothing came out of it, her hand was still warm.

And then my phone started to ring. I was reluctant, but I answered it. "Hello."

"Honey, its mom. I need you to come home, we need help at the shop." Fate couldn't hear what was being said, but she saw my frown, and knew that it meant that there would be no hang out time for us.

"Mom, I was going to hang out with Fate-chan today." I heard a sigh over the phone, it confirmed my fears.

"Honey, I understand, but we really need an extra pair of hands right now. I'm sorry, but please come home right away. You can spend time with Fate-chan another day." Seeing my grim expression, Fate squeezed my hand.

"Its okay, Nanoha. It sounds like they need you." I bit my lip angrily. It was always like this. Whenever I finally got time to spend with Fate, just me and her, something came up to ruin it, usually our family business. I wasn't having any of it this time, I was putting my foot down.

"Mom, I had a rough day, and I need time to breathe. If you need help, just ask a neighbor, I'm sure they'll be happy."

"Nanoha, please don't be stubborn."

"I'm not! Why can't I have one day to relax! You're always doing this to me!" I yelled at mom. I can't recall when I did it last, but it must have been a long time ago, because even I was surprised. I was mad at her, but she didn't deserve this, I was starting to feel bad. Fate gave me a reassuring smile.

"Alright... I understand." Mom's voice was low now, she was probably really upset, that didn't make me feel any better.

"Mom, I-"

"Its okay, you're right. You work hard at school, there's no need to push you at home as well." Now I could hear it, the sadness radiating from the phone. Mom was hardly this upset. I guess when your daughter yells at you, it can be quite a shock. "I'll let you go now, have fun with Fate-chan. Try to be home for dinner, your brother and sister will be there as well." And before I could apologize, mom said her goodbye and hung up. The dial tone felt like an arrow piercing my ear.

"You alright, Nanoha?" Fate was looking at me, clearly worried, still holding my hand.

"Yeah, its stupid. Lets just drop it and go to your house." She nodded. We walked some more, toward her home. In the wake of my fight with mom, the walk, it was just a little quieter this time.

* * *

There was no one home when we got there, so Fate unlocked the door and took us inside. It wasn't an unusual sight for the house to be empty. Fate's mom, Precia, worked late hours at an office downtown. She was hardly around. I knew that Fate could get lonely, but it couldn't be helped, since it was just her and her mom now. Her twin sister, Alicia, died ten years ago; their father also ran out on them when they were born. This family was broken, but still warm enough to keep Fate happy. Even if her family was half gone, she still had me, and Hayate too, but mostly me.

"Come on, lets watch some TV."

"Okay."

Fate and I sat around, watching various dramas, and talking about the latest gossip. It was a typical day, and the hours seemed to fly by, I even forgot about my own troubles. And soon, Precia came home. When she got in the door, we greeted her. She reeked of sweat and cigarette smoke. She still had one of the death sticks in her mouth, half finished. "Welcome home, mom." Fate looked happy nonetheless, nothing could bring her down anymore.

"Is dinner ready?" Not even a hello for her daughter or her friend. That was okay, she looked dead tired, she was practically asleep. Fate ran to the kitchen and got a plate of food for her. We had prepared it together, a simple dish of curry rice. Precia sat down and dumped her bag. She ate silently, ignoring our existences completely. Fate looked hurt, but buried it under a smile. She insisted that we leave her alone and go upstairs. To her room. Fate lead and I followed, I wanted to leave the woman alone to her devices anyway.

I hardly had time to come over here, so I was always surprised at the cuteness of Fate's room. There was pink everywhere. It was a little unlike her, since she dressed in black clothing most of the time.

We sat down on her bed, looked through some of the magazines that were lying around. We watched some TV, read some manga, and talked some more. It was the usual, but with Fate, I never tired of it.

But something was different today. While browsing through a magazine, Fate came across an article, which talked about love and relationships. In particular, what fascinated her the most, was the part where it gave advice for kissing your partner. Since I loved Fate, the thought of kissing her crossed my mind, a lot. Neither of us had a boyfriend (or a girlfriend), and we hadn't had our first kiss either. We didn't know what it was really like, to kiss someone. Hayate said it was something like kissing a pillow, since it was soft. She said that she tried it out with Vita, one her relatives who lived with her, but I never quite believed her.

Now that this article was staring Fate – and myself since I looked as well- in the face, it started to make me curious again, I'm sure Fate was too. I didn't know what to expect when we found this article, but I knew what I wanted to do at that moment. So, against my better judgment, I made a suggestion.

"Want to try it?" Fate's face flushed right away, so did mine, but she had no idea why_._ "I mean, just for practice." I wanted to say_ "because I love you", _but somehow, I thought that wouldn't go down so well.

Fate's eyes shifted from side to side, she was seriously thinking it over. "W-Well, its not like it would count as our first, right?" I nodded.

"Right, it would just be practice, for the real kiss." I said what I did to calm her down, but in reality, I would count it as my first. Even if she didn't.

My words worked, she calmed down for me. Now she looked like she reached a firm decision.

"Alright, lets do it."

"Really?" I didn't want to sound eager, but I couldn't help but look happy. Fate nodded. "Okay."

We both took a deep breath, preparing ourselves, me much more than her. _This is it! This is it! _I couldn't stop my mind from going crazy with excitement. I was finally going to kiss Fate, even though it was just practice to her.

We found that looking at each other in this situation was a little embarrassing, so the two of us closed our eyes. I grabbed onto her arm to make sure I could gauge the distance right, she did the same. "Okay, ready?" I said, hoping that she wouldn't change her mind.

"I'm ready." And I started to move in. I could no longer see her, but I knew she was moving in as well. Our foreheads touched, good thing we weren't moving too fast. This caused us to momentarily open our eyes, just to see where we were going. Then we closed them again, and moved in for real. I could feel her breath against mine. I knew it, just a little more and the deed would be done._ Just a little more..._

Finally, our lips, which had been apart just moments before, grazed against each other.

"Nanoha-chan! Fate!" The two of us jumped back instantaneously, I actually almost hit my head off her dresser. Fate's face lit up like a tomato, I was just angry._ Damn it, I was so close! _"Nanoha-chan, Fate, please come down."

"Okay, mom!" We were both breathing in heavily, like we had run a marathon. "W-We should go, before she gets mad."

"R-Right." Neither of us had any idea what to say after that, so we just kept quiet, and went downstairs. Precia was waiting for us. She had the phone in her hand. I couldn't really tell, due to the fatigue in her eyes, but she looked kind of distressed.

"What is it, mom?" Precia looked at me, and then Fate, and then me again. Her face didn't improve, and she took a long drag of the cigarette in her mouth.

"I don't really know how to say this." She put it out in the ashtray, holding her arms against her chest. "Nanoha-chan, its the police. It appears that there's been an incident at your home." I'm sure I was shocked, because I couldn't keep myself from talking.

"What's wrong? Is everyone alright!" Precia averted her eyes, and put the phone to her ear. She listened for a while, only murmuring, saying things like 'I understand.' and things like that. Then she put down the phone and walked towards me.

"I'm sorry, Nanoha-chan." She put a hand on my shoulder. "After the cafe closed, some people broke into your home. They had guns." Before I had any idea what was going on, Precia held me against her chest. "I'm so sorry, but their all gone. You're family, is gone, Nanoha-chan." And then I realized it, what she was saying, and everything around me broke.

Fate covered her mouth with her hands. She tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead, she hugged me as well. Now that I had realized the situation, tears started to form in my eyes. At first I thought it was all a lie. Deep down though, I knew it was the truth.

There was a large wail that echoed through the room, it was a horrible sound. I'm pretty sure that was my voice, my cry.

And then, everything faded to black. I don't know what happened, but suddenly all the light from the world disappeared, and I was consumed by a pitch blackness...


	2. From Bad To Worse

_A/N: It took a few days, but the anticipated second chapter is here. This time, we get Fate's perspective as things progress. I'm also thinking about using Hayate next time, and finishing off with Nanoha. For those who listened to me when I described this story, and took fair warning, the middle part of the chapter wont seem strange. If you read the title, then you'll know things don't turn out too well. _

_Moving on, I have another Nanoha project in the works. Besides my adventure story, I'm planning another Au story. This one wont be so outright depressing as this story is. A bit of a hint to what it entails: Fate is a successful business woman, and once Nanoha's love, but they drifted apart. Its all about rekindling that past flame. Don't worry, it wont be as boring as it sounds, and I already have one of the climatic scenes of the story built in my head. So anyway, look forward to that. Since I haven't balanced two (or 3) stories at the same time in forever, don't expect quick updates, especially if the chapters are as long as this one. _

_- Kode-Dekka  
_

* * *

Chapter 2: From Bad to Worse ~My Dear Friend's Withering Self~

"Nanoha, I'm leaving now." As I stood there by her bedside, Nanoha only nodded at me, not saying a word. Her eyes looked completely soulless, like there was nothing but darkness in them. Ever since the funeral she was like that, quiet, unresponsive, carrying that blank look on her face. But I understood, she lost everything that was precious to her after all. Because I also lost something precious, I could understand her pain.

I gave her a hug, but she didn't return it, that was okay. "See you after school." I released her and left the room, though that was the last thing I wanted to do. I just wanted to sit there with her, all day if I could.

She truly lost everything, I was all she had left, but it wasn't enough. It was still eating me up inside, the reason why this all happened.

Their cafe, while doing well, wasn't quite doing well enough. Unable to get money, her father resorted to doing business with some shady characters. It seemed that the massacre at her home, was their way of collecting what was lent. Nanoha's entire family, gone, all for nothing but a little money. And The police, while knowing who is responsible, will never bring them to justice, the group that lent out money has too much influence over the system. At least, that's what we were being told. It was unfair, Nanoha would never find closure, it was too cruel of a fate for someone as sweet as her.

At least, one small ray of hope shone. If Nanoha had not had that fight with her mother, and had gone home, she would probably be dead as well. But that too, was nothing more than a evil irony, it only served to make my friend feel more guilty about their deaths.

As I stood outside of the room that once belong to Alicia, I realized how twisted the situation was, and how powerless I was to help. While the loss of my sister left me with the same painful feelings, it was probably nothing compared to what Nanoha felt. Knowing that I could do nothing to relieve that pain, only made my heart wrench with anger, mostly directed toward myself, as well as to the cruel god who allowed this.

From inside the room, I heard the familiar sound of tears, and I knew Nanoha was crying now that I had left. I couldn't help it, and started to cry as well, though I suppressed the sounds.

Going downstairs, I found my mother, looking solemn and smoking a cigarette again. She knew that I hated it when she smoked, so she put it out as soon as I appeared. "How is she?"

"Same as before. I wish I could do something."

"Yeah, I know." She looked at the smoldering butt, probably wishing that she had more time with the death stick. "When I lost Alicia, I felt like I would never recover. In some ways, I didn't. Nanoha-chan is strong, give her time, Fate." I nodded.

"I'm going now, are you going to work?"

"Yeah, I'll drive you." I felt bad about leaving Nanoha here by herself. I would only be gone for a few hours, but I still felt terrible.

Mother and I left the house, where Nanoha would be all alone. I wish I didn't have to go, but like it or not, I was on my way to school.

* * *

I met Hayate at the front gate. She seemed distressed, that was expected, neither of us really knew how to deal with what happened. She ran up and hugged me when she caught sight of me, I returned the gesture accordingly. "Is Nanoha-chan okay?" I shook my head at her.

"She's still the same, she wont snap out of it." The death of her family was about two weeks ago, and the funeral, a week. For that much time, she's been in that trance like state. It probably wont break for a while, but I'll let her have as much time she needs. "Lets just leave her alone, until she's ready."

"Okay, Fate-chan. You know her better than I do."

The school day started on such a low point, I didn't really care how it turned out anymore. All I thought about was Nanoha, it was useless to be here when I couldn't concentrate.

During lunch, Arisa and Suzuka joined us, though they hardly had anything new to say. It was all the same, asking if Nanoha was okay, when she obviously wasn't. We weren't that talkative, or hungry, so our lunches just remained untouched, and we sat in silence.

I just thought, about nothing other than Nanoha. I thought about how lonely she must be, and depressed, and angry. I thought about the good times, before this whole thing, when she used to smile. Strangely enough, I also remembered our almost-kiss. It felt awful to think about happy things like that, when my friend was suffering, but I couldn't help it. It was close, so close to being a real kiss. I felt silly, because it was only supposed to be practice. But I wanted something more than that, I wanted it to be real. I'm embarrassed of myself though, so I went along with the idea that it wouldn't count. I didn't want to let her know, my honest feelings. And now, those feelings had no place in my heart, I didn't need to think about them. I had to help Nanoha become happy again, somehow; no matter how many days, or months, or even years that it took, I wanted to see that smile again, the one that made me fall in love with her.

"Fate-chan." I snapped out of my thoughts, finding Hayate looking worriedly at me. "Didn't you notice? The bell rang."

"Oh, sorry, just got lost in my head." This only made her more worried.

"Are _you_ alright?" I tried my best to smile, coming up with a pathetic thing.

"Yes, Nanoha is the one who is suffering right now. She isn't strong right now, so I have to strong for her." Hayate nodded and smiled back at me.

"That's right, all of us have to strong."

All the students had mostly filed out of the cafeteria, Suzuka and Arisa included. If we didn't go, we would be late. It didn't matter much to me, but for the sake of keeping mother happy, I'll try to get through the day. "Come on, lets go." Hayate took my hand and we walked out of the cafeteria together.

* * *

When night had arrived, I made dinner for everyone. I left mother's portion in the fridge like always, for whenever she got home. As for Nanoha, I decided to bring it to her personally. Before I entered the room, I knocked, but no answer came. "Nanoha, I'm coming in." Turning the knob, I opened the door, and found her laying down and facing the other way. "Nanoha, are you awake? I brought you dinner." I went to her bedside, set the plate down on the desk and shook her lightly.

"I'm awake, but I'm not hungry, Fate-chan." I moved my hand, brushing it against her head.

"I know, but you haven't eaten in two days. I'm worried about you."

"Sorry, I just have no appetite." I left it at that, I wouldn't push her to eat, she would do so when she got hungry. Instead, I pressed my body against her back, I gripped her shoulders. "Fate-chan?"

"Sorry Nanoha, I'm useless, so this is all I can do."

"That's not true..." I closed my eyes and laid my head against her as well.

"You can't stay like this, Nanoha. I care a lot about you, that why I don't like seeing you hurting like this. Hayate, Suzuka and Arisa feel the same. We all love you, that's why, we're all hurting inside as well."

Nanoha remained silent, I didn't wait for an answer. I was somewhat glad, she was talking a little more than before, even if it was still not very much. She didn't push me away, that's all I could ask for.

My dinner was waiting for me downstairs, so it was time for me to go. I was sure that Nanoha wanted to be left alone anyway. But when I pulled back, she suddenly moved, and grabbed my hand. "Please, Fate-chan, don't leave me alone. Just for a little while longer, could we stay like this?" I felt the warmth of her hand against mine, it was pulsing with life, even if it was only a little. "Fate-chan..." I could hear the begging tone of her voice, how could I refuse. Screw dinner.

"Of course I will Nanoha, I'd do anything for you." So we remained like that, me nuzzled up against her back. It was pleasant, and comfortable, and warm. Eventually, I started to feel my body waver, and I knew, I would drift off to sleep soon.

* * *

"Fate-chan. Nee, Fate-chan, wake up." I felt someone shaking me and calling my name. Out of curiosity, I opened my eyes. Nanoha came into view. Her eyes were red, as if she was crying. But something was odd, she was smiling. "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead." I was confused, I hadn't seen her so happy in weeks, it almost felt like a dream. I pinched myself, just to make sure. It hurt, not a dream. "Mou, what are you doing? Get up, we have to go to school." _'we?' _I thought, rubbing my eyes.

"Nanoha, what happened?" I couldn't believe how cheery the girl was, it was freaking me out.

"I thought about it, and you were right, Fate-chan. I can't stay all sulky and quiet forever, I have to move on. Everyone is gone, they wont come back, I know that. But I'm not alone, I still have you and everyone else." I blinked, and stared blankly at her. I probably looked really stupid right now. "Come on, Fate-chan. You can't stay in bed forever." Something about this was off, creepy, not right at all. _'but still, she looks so happy. Maybe I'm imagining things.' _I shook my head, and smiled at her, she smiled brightly back at me.

"Okay, I'll get ready."

"Hurry, or I'll leave you behind."

I got up, left the room, then slapped myself across the face in a last ditch effort to see if I really was dreaming. It hurt, definitely _not_ a dream. Nanoha was her old self. Even if it was some kind of trick, she was back to her old self again. That was a good thing, that had to be a good thing.

I hurried back to my room, throwing on my uniform and tying up my hair in record time. I met Nanoha downstairs. She was talking to mother, who looked just as confused as me, the cigarette even dropped from her mouth. She looked to me for an explanation, I could only shrug.

"Come on, Fate-chan, we have to run." She ran up to me, holding my bag. Grabbing my hand, she took me with her. "Bye Testarossa-san." She said as we left, before mother could even offer to give us a ride to school.

* * *

Things changed even more today. Now that Nanoha had returned to school for the first time since the incident, the people who knew what happened to her, found it hard to look away from her chirpy attitude. Some passing whispers in the hall called her 'mental', as if she'd gone crazy. Unfortunately, Arisa agreed with that.

"She's totally lost her marbles." She remarked when Nanoha left to go to the bathroom during lunch. "She shouldn't be so upbeat, she's gone bonkers." I sighed, I wasn't sure if I should disagree.

"I don't think she's crazy. She's probably just trying not to worry us by smiling." Is what Hayate said, but then she frowned, taking a bite of her lunch. "Seeing her like that though, only makes me more worried about her." Suzuka took her side, and I was left by myself, not sure how to respond to everything.

Nanoha returned fairly soon, so our conversation about her mental state came to a close, though it wasn't forgotten. She still seemed cheery, but something was wrong. It was her eyes. Maybe I was the only one who noticed it, but her eyes looked a little darker then. It was like something happened in the time that she was gone. Despite the smile, I knew better, she was furious. I had no idea why, but to see the anger buried under that smile, it was a little chilling to say the least. I decided to do something about it, I was going to get to the bottom of it.

There was still time before the bell rang. That didn't matter, if there was something going on, I could skip a class or two. Without warning, I rose from my seat, tread over to the other side where Nanoha was sitting, and grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "Come with me, I want to talk to you." I didn't want a response, and just pulled her away, while everyone stared at me like I had a dozen heads.

"Wait Fate-chan, that hurts." I loosened my grip a little, held her hand instead.

"Its just for a little bit, so come with me, okay?" She didn't say no, and willingly went along with me this time. The two of us left the cafeteria, headed upstairs. I was taking us to a place where we could have privacy, the roof of the school. I knew that the others would follow us, but at the very least they wouldn't disturb us. I wouldn't give them the chance anyway.

When we got to the door leading to the roof, I took out a key. We were all members of the astronomy club at school, though it was just our small circle of friends. As a part of that club, we got to use the roof from time to time, so I had a key. I unlocked the door, then sent Nanoha in first. I closed it behind me and locked it, making sure that there would be no interruptions.

Nanoha looked at me suspiciously, she didn't seem pleased to be up here. Well, it was kind of cold, so I didn't blame her. "Why did you bring me here, is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I don't understand you. Yesterday you were like a corpse, and now you're acting as if nothing happened. Its too strange, no one gets over the death of their family that fast."

"I told you, I was just-"

"I know, but I don't believe you." The smile that Nanoha had worn this whole time, the fake one, faded away. "Besides, you're angry, I can see it in your eyes. I want to know what happened when you went to the bathroom. Tell me, what is going through that head of yours." She looked up at the sky, just for a moment, then back at me. The smile returned, but it wasn't as reassuring as before.

"Looks like I've been found out, I was intending on just keeping it to myself. I should have known, you could always see through me, Fate-chan."

"What's going on? Did someone say something to you? I wont let anyone hurt you, so tell me and I'll set them straight." She waved it off.

"Just leave it alone. It was nothing." I didn't like this at all, her behaviour. Her attitude, the old her wouldn't have hid things from me like this.

"I can't leave it alone. Why are you being so strange? You're in pain, you're grieving. You don't need to show a smile if you don't feel like it, if you want to cry then cry. I'm here for you, we're all here for you. Why are you putting on this facade for us, why wont you just show us your honest feelings, and let us help you?" It wasn't exactly what I wanted to say, but it came out anyway. "Why wont you let _me_ inside your heart. You're my best friend, why are you shutting me out?" Finally, a response, an honest one. Nanoha balled her hands into fists, she finally looked how she felt.

"That's not it. Its not like I'm shutting you out. I just don't know how to deal with it, I want to figure things out on my own, without burdening you anymore."

"Nanoha..."

"Don't say anything. All this time, I've done nothing but inconvenience you. As I am right now, I'm nothing but dead weight to you. I'm just a stupid baby that needs to be taken care of by her best friend."

I couldn't believe that she was saying such things about herself, it was painful to listen to. To know that this was what was going on in her heart, was hurting me as well. I don't understand, why she would say those things.

"You've never been a burden. Giving you a place to stay, being with you, comforting you. That's what friends do. If it were me in this situation, you would have done the same thing."

Nanoha and I stared down each other. She didn't look any less angry, but at the very least, I felt her soften up a little. "Yes, you're right, I would. But that doesn't change anything." The clenched fists she had, only became tighter. "Some girls were talking about you and me, but they didn't know I was there. They said that I can't be such a baby forever, and need to get over it. They're right. If I don't get better, I'll only trouble you more, and you'll end up hating me."

"Nanoha, I could never hate you." _'Not when I love you so much.' _But I only thought that last part, and she shook it off anyway.

"You may not think so now, but what about in a month? A year? Ten years? I don't know when I'll be able to accept things, I may never be alright again. If you have to take care of me all that time, you'll surely come to hate me." Nanoha was so cruel sometimes. She knew just what to say to make me doubt myself. No one knew what the future held, so what she said was possible. But even if it was possible, I would never let myself hate her, no matter what. I'd sooner depart from this world.

Nanoha smiled at me again. Now everything was gone. All the emotions that previously showed on her face, disappeared. "I wont let you hate me Fate-chan, I wouldn't be able to endure it anymore if you hated me. That's why, before that happens..." She reached into her pocket, and pulled something horrible out. A box cutter. "I'll disappear from this world first, so that you never have the chance to hate me, and leave me alone."

"Nanoha, what are you doing?." My voice was shaky, and she didn't listen. She extended the blade out of it, and held up her wrist. We were on the roof, completely locked away from everyone else. If she did what I think she was going to do, then it could be a while before help arrived. I had to do something. "Nanoha, just calm down," I extended my hand to her. "Give me that, and we'll forget this happened. I wont tell the others about it." I took a step toward her, but that only made her place the edge of the blade across her wrist.

"Don't come any closer. I'm not myself, I don't know what I'll do if you get close to me. Please, don't come any closer, Fate-chan. This is something I have to do, so that I wont be a burden to you anymore."

"That's nonsense. We can talk about this, we can get you help. You don't have to suffer by yourself, that's why I'm here. I'd gladly take all your pain onto myself if I could, so just put it down." She sighed, shaking her head again.

"You don't understand at all, Fate-chan. I'm doing this, so that you wont have to do something so troublesome. Besides, this is my punishment, for what I said to mom. I should have been there, I should died with them that day. But I hurt mom, and now I have to live, knowing that everyone else is gone. Its agony, Fate-chan. I can't take it anymore, and I don't want you to be taken down by these feelings anymore either." She pressed the blade against her skin, a small droplet of blood formed.

"It wasn't your fault, you didn't kill them. If they could see you, they'd be glad to know your safe." Finally, she finally hesitated. I just had to push a little more. "Give me that thing. I said it before, you aren't a burden. Even if you were, its a hardship I would endure, even if it meant enduring it forever. That's because, you're my best friend. But more than that, because I care about you, more than anyone else. I love you, so I'll endure any kind of hardship to see you happy again." I took a few steps forward, she didn't tell me to stop this time, so I got a little closer, still holding my hand out. "Please, give it to me, Nanoha."

Her face twisted again. She smiled, a true, genuine smile this time. "Thank you Fate-chan, that made me happy. I love you too, that's why..." She dug the blade deeper. "I'm sorry. Forgive me, Fate-chan." It happened in a swift movement, she slashed the box cutter across her wrist. Almost immediately, a small amount of blood sprayed from her arm. That's how I knew it was bad, that she had gone deeper than she should have, all the way to the artery. She closed her eyes, letting the blood flow from her.

"Nanoha!" I ran now, grabbed her bleeding arm as tightly as I could. The bloody wouldn't stop flowing, it was too deep a cut, I couldn't do anything. "Damn it!" I pulled out my cell phone, dialling Hayate's number.

"Its too late, I'll die soon anyway, Fate-chan. Let me rest, I'm tired."

"Shut up, Nanoha! I wont let you die, no matter what." Hayate picked up on the second ring.

"Fate-chan, what's going on?"

"Never mind that, just get a teacher, call an ambulance!"

"Okay!" She hung up. I threw the phone away, putting all my energy in trying to keep the wound closed. I even took off my shirt and wrapped it around her arm. It just soaked through, but it was all I had.

"Please don't die on me Nanoha, you have to live." She was no longer responding to me. I didn't know if she passed out, or if she was just ignoring me. Either way, I couldn't stop myself from crying, my tears falling on her face and rolling down her cheeks. _'Don't die, don't die, don't die!'_ "Nanoha!"

On that rooftop, Nanoha tried to kill herself. I wouldn't let her die though, no matter what. She was losing blood fast. I didn't care if I wasn't a match, I would fill her body back up when the doctors arrived, I'd give her everything I had, as long as she didn't leave me.

_'Please, don't die, Nanoha.'_


	3. The Light At The End of a Dark Tunnel

_A/N: Suffice to say, I'm a little disappointed with myself here. As you read, you'll understand why. I've never been really good at finishing my stories, so forgive me if it doesn't feel like a great ending. Anyway, with this story done, I can move onto my other projects. A little more about this chapter. At first, I was going to do it from Hayate's perspective, and then have another chapter afterward to end things. Somewhere along the line, this happened, and the story concluded without me even noticing. Regardless, it was a hard story to write, and I'm glad to at least finish it, and I'm sure those who have been following along are glad too. Thank you for always reading my stories, and I promise to produce many more in the future, so don't go anywhere. _

_- Kode-Dekka_

* * *

Chapter 3 – Final:

The Light At The End of a Dark Tunnel

"_Nanoha, good morning." My mother greeted me this morning, a bright smile on her face. _

"_Good morning, Nanoha." My father, and brother, and sister, all sitting at the table greeted me as well. _

"_Good morning!" I replied, a smile formed wide on my lips. I ran over to the table, then climbed up on my seat, placing my 10 year old self down beside father. _

_As mother brought me breakfast, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my best friend, Fate. _

_But none of this was real, it was only a memory, of the past, of a happier time in my life. **"Have I, already descended to hell?" **There was no other explanation, as to why I would be tortured by this awful image. For my sins, for what I've done, I'm being tormented by this happy memory. Even in death, I couldn't catch a break. I thought for sure I was dead, and this was my punishment. I remember, cutting my wrist. It was so deep, there's no way I could have survived. _

But then, everything went black for a moment, the memory disappeared, and I opened my eyes. Bright lights burned my face, I shut them again to stop myself from going blind. Slowly, slowly, I opened them, and saw where I was.

A white ceiling, white walls, white floors, and white bed. I was surely in a hospital, which meant that I didn't die, even though I tried so hard to. My arm was bandaged as well, the wound sealed away, though a tiny spot of red seeped through.

I felt exhausted, and couldn't move. I was also drowsy, much more so than I should be. _Why can't I move? _No matter how I tried, it was impossible, so I just gave up and laid there.

_Why? Why am I still alive? _I racked my brain, recalling the scene in which I tried to end my life. _That's right..._ Fate stopped me, and kept me alive long enough to get help. She interfered, even though I told her to let me rest. _Damn her..._ I cursed Fate, for robbing me of the relief of death.

And speaking of the devil, she was here. I hadn't noticed it before, probably because of my weariness. But there she was, her head against the edge of the bed, her hair sprawled out across the sheets. Her chest rose and fell as she slept, she looked worried, but also peaceful in a way. The anger I had toward her vanished in an instant, as soon as I laid my eyes on her form. As much as I wanted to hit her for stopping me, I wanted to hug her as well, just because I was glad at least to see her face again.

The door opened suddenly, I twisted my head to see who was interrupting this moment. "So you're finally awake." It was a woman, she whispered, noticing Fate there. "That was quite a scare you gave us, we almost didn't make it in time. You must be tired, you've been sleeping for almost a week after all."

"You should have just let me die." I responded with a whisper. I hadn't mean to speak, but I couldn't hold it in. The woman just sighed and shook her head.

"I would lose my job if I did that. Besides, its not like you really wanted to die anyway."

"What do you mean by that?" I had to really try hard not to yell at her. I didn't want to wake Fate up, since she looked so peaceful. "If I didn't want to die, I wouldn't have gone this far."

"Maybe... no, actually, that would normally be true."

"See?" The woman smiled.

"According to Testarossa-san, you committed the act right in front of her. She also said that you hesitated, and that you did quite a bit of talking beforehand."

"So what?" I didn't like her, she was starting to annoy me, especially with her smile, that horrible smug smile plastered on her face.

"If you really wanted to kill yourself, you would have done it without anyone knowing. You wouldn't have given anyone a chance to stop you, especially not a friend. The fact that you only did it after Testarossa-san confronted you, means that you were looking for help. You were in pain and didn't know what to do about it, and eventually became desperate. When she confronted you, you were pushed into a corner, and took the most extreme method of showing her what you were going through. All along, you never wanted to hurt yourself, you just wanted someone to understand how you felt."

Listening to her talk and complete her speech, I clenched my teeth, used whatever strength I had to ball my hands into fists. I was angry, at her, at me, at everything in this world. But the fact that she would dare reduce my feelings and my attempt at suicide into something so simple, made me the most angry.

"You're wrong, I really..." I trailed off, because I notice something else. I was crying. I never even noticed, and yet the tears slid down my face. The woman looked at me, I could see the pity in her eyes, it was painful.

"Nanoha..." I swung my face around, and saw Fate looking at me with wonder. "Nanoha!" She embraced me, I wasn't ready for it, so it kind of hurt to suddenly be crushed like that.

"I'll come back later with one of our specialists. Good day." The woman left us alone, obviously not wanting to interrupt. For that at least, I was thankful.

Fate was crying too, though a lot harder than I was, she was really bawling. I finally found more strength, enough to put my arms around her. "I was so worried about you, I thought you really would die."

"..." I didn't say anything back to her, just held her and let her cry it all out. For some reason, I felt a little guilty about this whole thing. It felt a bit like, I was regretting what I tried to do, even though it was all I thought about since everyone was killed. Seeing Fate so sad, was probably what caused this horrible guilt in my heart. Because I loved her, because right now she was everything to me, I didn't want to see her like this.

All of a sudden, I no longer felt like dying, at least, I didn't want to as badly as before. Right now, I just wanted Fate to hold me, like she was doing, and I wanted to hold her, just as I was. Doubt had cast itself in my heart, and I was starting to worry, wondering if what the doctor told me was right. Was I just looking for attention? Did I just want someone to listen to me?

No, that couldn't be it. I did this, not just because I was so overwhelmed by sadness; I didn't want to be a burden on Fate anymore. She was doing her best to take care of me, to help me through this tough time, and all I did was spit in her face by ignoring her kindness. I was pathetic, and weak, and absolutely hopeless. The way I was right now, all I would do is trouble her, just like those girls said. I didn't want that, I didn't want to be a bother to Fate anymore. This was the only way I could think of. If I disappeared, if I erased myself, then she would no longer have to take care of me, or be hurt over and over again by my attitude.

So why was I crying? Why was I doubting myself? Why was I regretting what I've done, even if only a little? It didn't make any sense to me. Perhaps, it was because I didn't want it to. If I lost the ability to kill myself, if I lost the will to do even that, I wouldn't have anything left except sadness. I wanted to see my family again, I wanted to hold my mother, and tell her that I'm sorry for yelling at her. I didn't want to move on and live without them, I didn't want to gradually push them to the bottom of my heart, where they would only become memories. I just wanted to see them again, and let them know how much I love them. If my resolve disappears, then I'll have lost everything.

"Nanoha." Fate stopped crying, and stopped holding me so tightly. "I'm sorry." Of all the things I expected her to say to me after what I put her through, 'I'm sorry', was never even on the list.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because, there was nothing I could do to help you. I wanted to do something, but I was so useless, that eventually your grief consumed you, and it came to this. I should have noticed just how much pain you were in. As your friend, I failed, so I'm sorry."

"Fate-chan..." Why did she have to say things like this? It only made me feel worse, and it lowered my defences. I felt like I was being pierced through the heart. "Don't say things like that, you didn't do anything wrong." I was the one who was wrong. My heart was crushed and twisted, and sick. The problem was me, not her.

She took my hand, it felt warm. I remembered, how much I used to wish to feel her hand against mine, before everything got like this. I wanted to always hold it like this, forever. Being reminded of those feelings, made my heart warm a bit.

"Nanoha, " She said my name, softly, gently, lovingly. "I want you to know, that you are aren't alone. Even if your family is gone, I'm still here for you. Even if you don't believe it, know that I'll always be there for you, now and forever." I felt my heart tighten, like it was bring tied up into knots. I'm sure I also blushed; even though I was in so much pain, I was happy to have that said to me. This was it, the feeling that I've missed. This sense of love and security, this reassuring feeling. For the first time in weeks, I felt it, that I was loved, that I really wasn't alone.

It all clicked for me in a moment. Something so simple, and yet I couldn't see it before.

"Fate-chan..." I felt the tears all over again, spilling out of me, like a fountain. "Fate-chan!" I let her hold me again, I let her crush me with all her weight.

I wasn't alone, I really wasn't alone. All this time, someone has been here with me, since forever, Fate has been with me. Why didn't I believe in her when she told me that she wouldn't hate me? At what point, did I stop believing in my best friend? I truly felt horrible, like I had betrayed her somehow. I did such horrible things. I threw her kindness back in her face, I wallowed to myself, I shut her out of my heart, I shouldered all this pain by myself, even when she reached out to me. And then, I did the most unforgivable thing. When she gave me her feelings, I refused them, and stomped all over them, and then tried to disappear from this world by myself. I was selfish, and stupid. And now, here I was, crying my eyes out like a baby.

I realized it all now, what I should have done from the beginning. When Fate first reached out her hand to me, I should have taken it, instead of slapping it away. I made a mistake, several mistakes in my grief.

But there was still time to fix them. I almost threw it all away, by trying to kill myself. I was still here, I still had time. Everyone else was still gone, but I was still here. They were all dead, but I was alive, and I was not alone. And now, Fate was reaching out to me again, she hasn't given up on me yet, so I can't give up on her either. This time, for sure, I'll take her hand, I'll accept all her feelings. And there was still Arisa, and Suzuka, and Hayate, and everyone else. Why didn't I realize all this sooner?

I stopped crying, I stopped all the tears. My head felt clear, much clearer than its been for a long time. I woke up today tired, ready to die, trying to die. Now, right now I felt like I could keep going, even if it was just one step at a time. Even if I had to crawl, I would kept going, moving forward. "Nanoha?" Fate was still holding me. I felt so warm inside, so, so warm.

"Its okay now, Fate-chan. I finally understand, I understand everything now." I pushed her away a little, so that we could look each other in the eyes. "I don't want to die, not anymore. At the time, I felt like there was nothing but darkness ahead. With my family gone, I didn't see the point in living, I felt like I was betraying them by being alive. All this time, I let those feelings eat away at me. But now I understand. Everyone is gone, but you're here for me, and everyone else is here, I don't have to be alone. When I tried to kill myself, I kept thinking 'save me, notice me, look at me, help me, I'm scared.' I wanted someone to see through me, I wanted someone to take all the pain away. You were there, waiting to do it, but at the time, I was so blind, I couldn't see it. I'm sorry, Fate-chan."

I let her hug me again, and reciprocated the affection. "Don't apologize. You were hurting a lot, and you still are. I know it will take time for you to move on with your life. But I'll be there, I'll always be there, so you don't have to shoulder the pain all by yourself. Even if it takes a hundred years, I'll still be there. That's why, don't apologize."

"Thank you, for always looking out for me."

"What are friends for?"

We stopped talking after that, and just held onto each other. I still had time, we still had time. One day, I knew, everything would be alright again. Until then, until that day came, and I know every day after that, Fate would be here with me. Just like this, forever.

**

* * *

**

**2 Years Later...**

The two of us marched across the freshly cut grass. We held hands all the way as we walked. We passed by several stone monuments, a sea of gravestones. I felt Nanoha squeeze my hand, she was sad, and nervous, and embarrassed. Since the funeral, this was the first time that we've been here. In the two years since they died, Nanoha hadn't visited the graves of her family. It wasn't that she didn't want to. The wounds in her heart were fresh, and the pain, while gradually subsiding, was far from going away.

After she tried to kill herself, after she decided that she wanted to live, we did our bests to help her. She had to talk about everything, all the feelings that were eating her inside, the ones that made her attempt suicide in the first place. She was so delicate, that if we brought her here, I was afraid she would break again. So we kept our distance, waiting for the right time, when we would be able to come this place again. Now was the time.

And it had come sooner than we thought. Their graves, lie just in front of us. We stared at them, Nanoha much more closely. I could see it, the sadness welling in her eyes. But she was prepared for this, I knew she would be okay. Even if she wasn't, I was here to comfort her. I let go of her hand, and backed away.

Nanoha placed her hands together, and prayed for them. "I'm sorry, father, mother, big sister, big brother. I'm sorry that I couldn't come see you until now." She started to cry again, it still happened a lot. "I'm sorry mom, for yelling at you that time. I didn't mean any of it, I was just angry, because I felt like I was being suffocated, and forced into a future that I didn't want." She collapsed onto her knees, and pressed her hands into the ground, letting her tears fall. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But I'm okay now, I can move forward now, so you don't have to worry about me anymore. Fate-chan is here with me, she wont go anywhere, so you don't have to worry." I touched her shoulder, and smiled at her, she smiled back at me. She wiped her eyes, though they were red now. "I'm ready, Fate-chan." I nodded and handed her a bouquet of flowers, which she placed on the ground.

"I'm sure they'll be happy, to get such lovely flowers from you."

"Yeah." She took my hand, and I squeezed it, to let her know that I was always with her. We stood and towered over the grave, looking down upon it. "Mother, father, big brother, big sister. Thank you, for giving me such wonderful memories. I love you, goodbye." And then, without another word, we turned around, and started to walk away from them.

Mother was waiting for us by the car. I was surprised, at times like this, she usually smoked. However, there was nothing, except a proud smile on her face. We got into the car one by one, and then drove away from the graveyard.

Nanoha gazed out the window, she looked sad, and was thinking deeply about something. I didn't disturb her, and just left her alone to her thoughts. We had time, lots of time, to make things alright. I would be here, every step of the way. I would be waiting, until the day Nanoha could show me a true smile, and be happy again. No matter how long it took for that to happen, I would be here. Until then, I would do my best, and let her know, that she'll never be alone again.

_**The End.**_


End file.
